I got to spend time with my daughter

Sometime ago, my daughter Miriam running down the stairs in flip-flops or sandals, slipped, fell, naturally reached out to save herself, and hurt her hand. Because she has lupus which causes her joints to swell and bruise easily, she didn't think much of her finger being swollen and misshapen. When, days later, she did go to the doctor, she learned that her finger was badly dislocated with one bone laying on top of the other bone instead of fitting ball and socket. Surgery required. Even so, she rather thought she would drive herself to surgery - it is Ambulatory Outpatient Surgery - drive herself home, rest the remainder of the day and continue life as usual.

Fortunately, she realized in time that this plan had it's shortcomings. I took Monday off of work to hang around the surgery center with her.

She brought a book, Ghost Girl and while waiting to go into surgery told me about it. They put her under, leaving me in charge of her valuables, so I read part of her book. It was amusing. Actually more amusing when Miriam told it. Very high school. As in teen ager, not as in high class. But I liked it better than, say Twilight, because it doesn't pretend not to be high school. I also did some updating of information I had put on Winnie the Peg before getting TX. So much better on TX!

After surgery, they sent me over to the pharmacy to get Miriam's pain medicine. Slight problem. They had a chemical spill and the pharmacy was closed, guard at the door and all. Not really a big problem: they transfered the prescription to the Kaiser near Miriam's home and we picked it up on the way. Since I took Benjamin for a check-up Tuesday, that meant I got to go to 3 different Kaisers in 2 days.

As Miriam's roommates were off at some "Family Home Evening" activity and she shouldn't be alone so soon after surgery, still recovering from the general anesthesia and starting the new pain pills, I hung out the rest of the evening.

After Benjamin's appointment (regular health check and get the forms filled out for summer youth activities) and a somewhat disappointing trip to Sacramento City College, Ben and I went back to Miriam's Tuesday afternoon. She directed us in making dinner, which we all enjoyed. Good! she has a tendancy not to eat and with one hand, fixing things is hard. Besides, then she could tell me how Ghostgirl ended. Much as anticipated.

Benjamn and I went to Relief Society where he babysat and I reviewed budgeting basics. That tickled him because Allison H had taught essentially the same lesson to the youth during their "Independence Day" activity.

Yesterday, Miriam went back to work, but I went over again in the evening - this time my big service was to wash her hair. Having a hand bound up, sore, and useless is bad enough, but add the need to hold her hand up to keep if from hurting more, and a bulky bandaid that can't get wet, well life is limited.

Miriam has recieved a lay-off notice. The State nicely gives one a special letter along with the lay-off notice which puts you "at the front of the line" (with all the other lay-offs but ahead of the totally non-state employed) when applying for another state position. But only once. If you are offered a position and do not take it, that's your one chance. After that, you are back in the pack of other applicants. Trouble is, she doesn't KNOW for sure that she is going to be laid off. If not, she really does not want to leave the job she has now, but if so, well, she needs a job to pay the bills. The longer one waits - to try to see if one really must look for another job - the more competition one faces for fewer jobs. It stinks. Miriam is facing this dilemma now, I expect that my turn may be coming. I pray for my job (and Miriam's and Joseph's, but especially mine and Miriam's jobs) to be protected, but sometimes the Lord does not see fit to intervene the way we think He should. So, I also pray for faith and for being Ok, whatever happens.

Somebody had a job fair for people in Miriam's department (I think her department - no word among my department that I know of) who have been given lay-off notices today. Poor Miriam was at our house until 11-ish lasat night getting her application and resume up-to-date and printed on our semi-functioning printer. And worrying a little about how hire-able she is going to look.

I hope it went well. She is a great worker and great employee. Although, I do really hope that she (and I) can keep the position she likes so much.

I like my job, but breaks are way too short.